"China calls upon relevant parties to bear in mind peace and stability of the region, to exercise restraint and refrain from any actions that may escalate the tension," she added.

Strangely, Netanyahu's visit to China on Monday coincided with the arrival of the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Beijing said it would be willing to host a bilateral meeting between the two Middle Eastern leaders. But an Israeli government official told CNN there were no plans for secret talks in China between Netanyahu and Abbas.

"Don't hold your breath for a summit in Beijing," the Israeli official told CNN, on condition of anonymity.

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The Israeli official said the Chinese had "never been involved in mediating or suggesting new ideas or making plans. They are the big silent giant."

China has not traditionally played a mediation role in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But this week the world's second largest economy appeared to be flexing its diplomatic muscles in the Middle East, proposing a four-point peace plan and repeating its call for the establishment of a Palestinian state with a capital in East Jerusalem.

"The issue, already lasting more than half a century, has brought deep suffering to the Palestinian people and remains an important reason of extended turbulence in the Middle East region," said Chinese president Xi Jinping, during a meeting with Abbas on Monday, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.

Israel's prime minister is visiting China's commercial capital Shanghai on Tuesday. He is expected to travel on to Beijing on Wednesday.

China's foreign ministry spokesman suggested Netanyahu may get a tough, unwelcome message from his Chinese hosts.

"On the current Syrian situation and Israel's continuous air raid inside, I have already expounded China's position," Hua said on Tuesday. "And we will explicitly tell the Israeli side China's position."